Wireless Streaming Question

J

Jaybeez

Junior Audioholic
Over the past week, I picked up an Airport Express, which I currently have hooked up to my Rotel receiver via RCA cable.
I'm streaming music from my iMac to the AEX via Airplay, and using the Remote app to control everything from my listening position. Most of my files are AAC, but some are ripped from CDs.
Am pretty happy with what I hear, but am wondering if it makes sense to add a DAC to the signal chain. Would it improve the sound in any way that I'd notice?
I've done a fair amount of reading and can't quite come to a conclusion on this.
On another forum, it was suggested that since most of my files are Lossy AAC, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
However in another portion of THIS forum, there was reference to an article which leads me to believe otherwise.
I don't want to purchase gear for the sake of more gear unless it makes sense to do so. Am looking at somewhat budget units like Cambridge DacMagic 100 or Musical Fidelity V90.
 
TheWarrior

TheWarrior

Audioholic Ninja
What article?

Compressed music is not going to sound great on any system. And a DAC would not serve a purpose in your proposed set up.
 
J

Jaybeez

Junior Audioholic
Thanks, good to know.

Here is the article: https://xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

I read and re-read it (though much of it was over my head) and it seemed to me that perhaps my AAC files would be fine, and that perhaps a DAC would improve the sound a bit.

I must not have comprehended properly. Thanks for the feedback.
 
F

fmw

Audioholic Ninja
If it helps, we did many bias controlled comparisons of DAC's and were never able to isolate an audible difference anywhere. If you have a DAC there is no point in adding another one. The one you have is working just fine.
 
J

Jaybeez

Junior Audioholic
Good to know thanks.

I know I need new speakers, so more than happy to put the $$ towards that upgrade.

I really like the honest advice here. Things have really changed since my intro to music in the 70's, and I have a lot to learn (and unlearn).

Much appreciated by this noobie.
 
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
Your Airport Express is a modern marvel. I have one. I do not use it's built in DAC. Instead, I use the Airport Express SPDIF out to SPDIF input on my pre/pro, from which I can view bit rate. Thing is, whether you use the AE's DAC or not the AE up samples or down samples everything to 16/44.1. Some of my files, as large as 24/192, are being heard at 16/44.1. This means if you are not happy with 16/44.1 you would likely need to explore an alternative to AE. I am satisfied that 16/44.1 is all my ears can appreciate, so, the Airport Express is all I perceive I need for all that I was wanting-the best sound reproduction with the greatest convenience.

BTW, you do not need to add a DAC, you are getting digital to analog conversion from the Airport Express. It will process AAC, ALAC, and AIFF files no matter what the bit stream rate, again, up sampling or down sampling to 16/44.1. I guess you could add another DAC between AE and your RCA's on receiver to up sample using SPDIF from AE to SPDIF on DAC you have added but I do not think such up sampling will get you anything you could appreciate as sounding better; and, you would need a DAC you could manually set to up sample, that's going to be relatively expensive. You will have just added unnecessary complexity.
 
Last edited:
J

Jaybeez

Junior Audioholic
Your Airport Express is a modern marvel. I have one. I do not use it's built in DAC. Instead, I use the Airport Express SPDIF out to SPDIF input on my pre/pro, from which I can view bit rate. Thing is, whether you use the AE's DAC or not the AE up samples or down samples everything to 16/44.1. Some of my files, as large as 24/192, are being heard at 16/44.1. This means if you are not happy with 16/44.1 you would likely need to explore an alternative to AE. I am satisfied that 16/44.1 is all my ears can appreciate, so, the Airport Express is all I perceive I need for all that I was wanting-the best sound reproduction with the greatest convenience.

BTW, you do not need to add a DAC, you are getting digital to analog conversion from the Airport Express. It will process AAC, ALAC, and AIFF files no matter what the bit stream rate, again, up sampling or down sampling to 16/44.1. I guess you could add another DAC between AE and your RCA's on receiver to up sample using SPDIF from AE to SPDIF on DAC you have added but I do not think such up sampling will get you anything you could appreciate as sounding better; and, you would need a DAC you could manually set to up sample, that's going to be relatively expensive. You will have just added unnecessary complexity.
Thanks, more helpful info. I'm pretty happy with the setup, and very happy with the ease of control of my iTunes library via Remote. Will focus on better speakers for now. That will probably make a bigger difference in the near term.
 
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